Vyvyan

Was it Radar O'Reilly on the bugle?

Yep Trinity will need to manage the fact that they won't have to exert themselves too much to win a lot of games with their squad. It's not really the best preparation for SL and some players may get dragged down to the lower level.

Some great efforts in defence and a great line break from KPP.

Think Pauli Pauli might be a bit fitter this year as he's been playing union as well as turning out for Doncaster.

1990 2nd test at Old Trafford. We lost at the death but it was the most absorbing game I've ever seen.

This is all very reminiscent of the Bradford Bulls saga.

Fantastic result for Fev.

Zac Fulton signed for Bradford on a 1 year deal.

No problems with queues at the turnstiles at the other end of the ground.

Bradford vs Widnes certainly won't be a massacre.

https://www.bradfordbulls.co.uk/article/2284/bulls-and-holmes-issue-statement What devastating news for the lad. Hope his treatment goes well.

Iestyn Harris and Henry Paul should never have gone to union.

The boxing stat doesn't surprise me. Coming through Manchester after the Grand Final there were loads of young people going to see some YouTube influencers boxing tournament that was going on. There were ticket touts all over.

Worrying news for Fev fans. Obviously the directors had adopted a "poop or bust" business plan. Hope this is as far as it goes and that there are no creditors not being paid.

Thought we got a couple of calls go our way in the second half but a few went against us in the first half. They even out in the end. Wolff moaning about slowing down the PTB is a laugh as Tonga had men lying in the ruck all day long.

Really sad news. Seems that RL clubs are just as vulnerable to economic pressures as RU clubs. Both codes have seen clubs fold this year.

Just to clarify. I prefer Wheldon Rd to Odsal if only because you're nearer to the action. As for Fev it's the same but the local numpties have been putting a dampener on the welcome since the 80s. As grounds they're both better. The only comparable ###### ground is Belle Vue where you used get a worms eye view in the rain on crumbling terraces with awful toilets. Ironic that they do something about it all when they get relegated. But as far as IMG are concerned, Odsal is fine. Just clean your seat beforehand or bring a brolly.

Odsal may be a dump but is there anything about it that falls below IMG standards? I don't think there is. It has covered seating for 5k. Adequate floodlights. I don't recall pitch size being part of the criteria. The club have a dispensation from the RFL to play on the current pitch. As for uncovered terraces many clubs have an issue with this. The general aesthetics of the place may be horrendous but grounds aren't assessed on artistic merit. If they were then SL would look very different.

Happy memories of McLaren Field and getting into games there for 80p back in the 1980s.

No Scurr in the Bradford squad is a massive minus for them.

There are unofficial tag games you can join every week in Leeds and Bradford. Through the summer there is a game at Gildersome every Wednesday evening. Free of charge. All welcome. In winter there is a game at Bradford academy every Monday. £4 a game. PM me if you're interested.

As a relatively old timer I have fond memories of plenty of the old grounds that are no more like Thrum Hall, Central Park, Fartown, Knowsley Rd, McLaren Field Watersheddings etc. They all oozed atmosphere but maybe I've got rose tinted glasses on as they were places I went to in my formative RL years? Odsal is another that holds great memories. It's in a sad state now with its undersized pitch and terracing and seats covered in muck from the track. I think we need to give the modern stadia a chance to make their own history.

Seemed like a healthy crowd and was a great atmosphere before, during and after the game. Think Batley showed a lot of patience and resilience and had to withstand a lot of pressure in the second half. They just had slightly more cutting edge than York who couldn't make it count when they had a lot of possession and field position in the second half.

Batley ground out the win today against a stubborn York side that couldn't make pressure count. Great atmosphere at Mount Pleasant for the Jo Cox Memorial Match.

Bradford scored more tries than Batley but ill discipline cost them today.